Mumbai: With the date of the municipal corporation elections having been declared, citizens groups create a task-list for corporator candidates. In the next month, citizens will meet prospective candidates,seeking commitments for the next five years.
The Clean And Heritage Colaba Residents Association (CHCRA), representing residents in ward 225 and sections of 226 and 227, has received calls from prospective candidates. Pervez Cooper, vice-president of CHCRA said that the locality, with its restaurants, shopping streets, hotels, and residential buildings, is grappling with illegal hawkers, dilapidated footpaths, and undisciplined parking in its narrow lanes.
"We will be meeting candidates in the next few days. We will demand accountability, not oral promises but pledges in writing. We are so fed up we want to boycott the elections. Why should we stain our fingers with indelible ink if we get nothing out of the exercise? asked Cooper who added that the bylanes are a mess with illegal parking and residents are disturbed by honking of vehicles late at night. "The jetty which is under construction will only make things worse," said Cooper.
Dr Laura D'Souza, president of the Cuffe Parade Residents Association & Cyril Dara, secretary of the Byculla Mumbai Residents Association |
Many citizens in the area are considering the idea of fielding a 'citizen's candidate', saying that they are fed up with the nepotism in the selection of candidates by political parties. Jennifer Shetty, ward A coordinator for citizens' group, Citizens Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI), has proposed the name of Dr Laura D'Souza, a doctor and the president of the Cuffe Parade Residents Association (CPRA), for ward 227 which is reserved for women candidates.
"D'Souza, a medical doctor, can be perfect for a citizen's candidate. This I must state comes from public demand. On several occasions she has proven to be proactive in taking the right decisions, she thinks independently, be it a civic issue or a legal battle," said Shetty. "She is from a new generation of 'nari shakti', candid and courageous and not clouded by pressure or swayed by bias. We need a change from the old guard. D'Souza fulfills the criteria for the residents of the residents and by the residents."
D'Souza said that people in the area want change. "The voting percentage in the area is very low and this is because people are sceptical about candidates. "People are weary of pressing the NOTA (None of the Above) because it seems like a futile exercise. During the Covid epidemic, the elected representatives from this area were either spending time outside the city or had shut themselves in their homes. I used my restaurant kitchens to provide food relief at vaccination centres. The local athletes helped us but the politicians were absent," said D'Souza.
Inaccessible politicians are an issue in Chember where the Pestom Sagar Residents Forum (PSRF), a group representing residents of 110 buildings, have been campaigning to convert a formerly encroached plot near the Eastern Express Highway into a garden. The plot, reserved for a hospital and garden, is used for entertainment events that are attended by people from areas like Shivaji Nagar. Another complaint is the decision by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Area"s decision to name their Metro 4 station after Garodia Nagar. "This is very misleading. Garodia Nadgar is a ride away by auto," said Mohini Thakre, chairperson of PSRF. "Our representations with the local MLA are unheard."
Hurdles faced by residents of old buildings who want to reconstruct their homes is another common issue that citizens want politicians to solve. Many of Pestom Sagar's buildings are due for redevelopment, but the fact that the land belongs to the District Collector means that builders are reluctant to undertake projects as they will have to pay a hefty premium for the land. "We have been trying to get the premium reduced so that redevelopment becomes viable," said Thakre who is also a member of the Federation of Grantees of Government Land.
In Pali Hill and Khar, a premium residential area, redevelopment of old buildings is an issue that residents have been addressing for quite some time. Concerns about dust and noise pollution from construction activities are being addressed through a charter that developers have to follow. The area has been at the forefront of the municipal programme to dispose of and recycle garbage. The Pali Hill Residents Association (PHRA) wants to revive the biogas electricity plant that once supplied electricity to 69 street lights in the area. The project, which used kitchen and restaurant waste, to produce electricity, was being run by PHRA since 2018 with the help of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the local electricity distribution company. "The covid epidemic disrupted the project and it shut down completely in August," said Madhu Poplai, secretary, PHRA which will be organising 'Meet your candidate' sessions for members to have a dialogue with candidates.
Citizens want a greater say in the selection of candidates by political parties. In Bandra, residents have contacted the Member of the Legislative Assembly, Ashish Shelar from the BJP, and the Member of Parliament, Varsha Gaikwad from the Congress, to get clarity on the candidates. Sanjeev D'Souza, Bandra resident and H-West ward coordinator for AGNI, said many positive things happening like transportation links, connectivity infrastructure upgrades have been realised, but residents' views must be taken into account in order to really make the upgrades meaningful to those who reside in the areas.
"There also needs to be more accountability by government officials to the people with periodic meetings to address public grievances and get inputs regarding projects in the works. Parks and public open spaces should not restrict public access unless absolutely necessary," said D'Souza.
Some localities complain of neglect even as the city is upgrading public facilities. Residents of Byculla said that the area, comprising wards number 211 and 212 has important public institutions like hospitals, schools, and religious places, but is ignored when it comes to civic amenities. "Traffic is a major nuisance. Buildings are being redeveloped but there is no setback to widen roads. The drug menace continues and peddlers just shift operations when confronted by the police. Cleanliness is a perpetual problem," said Cyril Dara, secretary of the Byculla Mumbai Residents Association.
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